430520 - Unaccounted airmen - 20-5-1943

[Henk Welting]

What were the places of death registration for:

A - Died on active service:
AC2 Harry E. BAKER - 1639678.

B - Not found Flight Global:
S/Ldr Edgar V. BASHFORD - 10065;
Cpl John R. PLAICE - 1466697 - age 38, and
P/O Harry J. WALLACE - 150159 (NCO 1474211).

C - Looking for GRO-listing of:
LAC George McCLELLAN - 1065865 - age 27 - DOAS - buried Heliopolis War Cem., Egypt (In CC 263 12-8-43 p.186 listed as McCLELCAN).

D - Also looking for the unit of LAC William A. WHITE - 574431, buried Bournemouth East Cem., Hampshire. CWGC lists him as 204 Sqn (doubtful as this sqn than was based at Bathurst/Half Die, Gambia).

E - Proposed aircraft losses:
Spitfire IIB - P8382 - AFDU - crashed on take-off Duxford.
Typhoon I - R8709 - 59 OTU - crashed on take-off Ford Westfield Farm, near Milfield.
Master II - DM202 - 7 (P)AFU - crashed on take-off Sibson.

Regards and thanks for your help.
Henk.

[COL BRUGGY]

Henk,

Spitfire Mk.IIb P8382, was a presentation aircraft - "CROWNCRETE".

Sent on 3 April (1943) to Scottish Aviation at Prestwick for repairs, to be awaiting collection on 9 May, being passed to No.45 MU Kinloss on 13th, before joining the Air Fighting Development Unit at Duxford on 8 November. On 20 May 1943 the pilot took off downwind at Duxford and hit an obstruction on the runway. Flt Lt W. Walendowski (Polish) was injured and the aircraft struck off charge.

See: Gifts of War/Boot & Sturtivant. p.117

and ...

Typhoon I - R8709 - 59 OTU.

APPENDIX 4. Losses - Typhoons.

Date: 20 May 1943
Unit: 59 OTU
Aircraft: R8709
Pilot: F/L M. C. Knight - Killed
Circumstances: Engine failed on take-off, crashed near Milfield.

See; The Typhoon & Tempest Story/Thomas & Shores. p.197

Col.

[malcolm_raf]

Hi Henk

AC2 Harry E. BAKER - Hendon, London
S/Ldr Edgar V. BASHFORD - not Eng/Wales
Cpl John R. PLAICE - Greenwich
P/O Harry J. WALLACE - Huntingdonshire North
LAC George McCLELLAN - 117 MU
LAC William A. WHITE - Westminster, London

Malcolm

[Henk Welting]

Thanks Col & Malcolm. KNIGHT found in my files with incorrect svcnr and a/c serial.
Regards,
Henk.

[Theletterwriter]

Henk

No evidence of S/Ldr Edgar Valetta BASHFORD : 10065 age 56 in the Scottish Statutory records.

Douglas

[dennis_burke]

Edgar V Bashford age 57 in Blackpool District, can't see why I couln't see that last night? Being of older age, its not unusual he is possibly not listed in Cas Comm's.

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

10065 S/L Edgar Valetta BASHFORD RAF,

BASHFORD, Squadron Leader Edgar Valetta, Royal Air Force (0065), Station HQ, Blackpool, Lancs, Technical Training Command, 20 May 1943, Suicide, Died of a gunshot wound in Blackpool, the coroner returned a verdict of suicide, Age 56, Salisbury, Wilts, Blackpool (Carleton) Cemetery, Lancs.

See: Failed To Return, Part 2, A-B/Hobson/Naval & Military Press,2019/p.448.

Col.